Whole Peanuts

Whole Peanuts
Whole peanuts in the shell are one of the greatest treats you can offer birds. It's been well publicized that jays and woodpeckers love them, but there are many other species that also enjoy them.

People who feed whole peanuts in the shell to birds often report that after a while of offering them, the jays start calling to each other the moment the peanuts are brought to the feeder. Actually, screaming would be a better description! Once the alert has gone out, the jays literally dive-bomb for their favorite treat, sometimes taking more than one at a time. They then fly to the nearest branch, hammer them open and devour them as quickly as possible so they can return for more.

The best feeder for whole peanuts in the shell is a tray feeder, where all the birds have an opportunity to get to them. If you watch, you'll see that titmice and chickadees will look for the smallest ones so they'll be able to fly away with them, and cardinals patiently wait their turn and quickly fly away with their "prize." Crows, intelligent corvids like the jays, have been observed patiently arranging up to three or four in their beaks, positioning them carefully so they can fit in as many as possible.

Even species that lack the beaks to easily break the large shell have been observed soaking them in water (which will explain how the shells get into your bird baths occasionally) so they can get to the delicious nuts inside.

Most of the whole peanuts in the shell found in the marketplace are salted and should not be fed to the birds. Stock up on the unsalted ones and prepare to be entertained.